Eswaran has done this through his vision, training and motivating of sales staff and his indefatigable work ethic. That has enabled this child of the working class to become one of Asia’s richest men. But the lessons he learned from his parents have helped to make him one of Asia’s most generous philanthropists.

As a child growing up in Penang, Malaysia, Vijay Eswaran was taught that giving to the less fortunate was very important. Eswaran took those teachings to heart and when the QI Group became successful, he created two charitable organizations through which he gives generously to vast numbers of people.

The two philanthropic organizations he created were the RYTHM Foundation and the Vijayaratnam Foundation, an organization named after his father. The RYTHM Foundation serves as the QI Group’s channel for charitable works while the Vijayaratnam Foundation is Vijay Eswaran’s personal philanthropic organization.

Under Eswaran’s guidance, both those organizations have became a life line for many people in the face of crushing poverty. Eswaran gives untold millions to education, art and culture, environmental projects and social development activities.

His charitable giving has had so profound an impact on the lives of poor people in the Pacific Rim that Forbes Asia named him one of the region’s Heroes of Philanthropy. Numerous other organizations have also given him awards and accolades. And to the people in the countries where the QI Group does business, Vijay Eswaran is a beloved figure.

Not satisfied to simply help meet people’s immediate needs, Vijay Eswaran has also published a series of best selling books designed to help people develop a mindset that leads to success. He has also remained humble enough to acknowledge that the good he’s been able to do is a result of the lesson he was taught by his parents and the people in his community.